Igodo (Obagodo) was the first

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

Igodomigodo Igodomigodo was an ancient Edo kingdom in modern-day southern Nigeria ruled by the Ogiso monarchy. History Legendary origins The Edo tradition of origin holds that initially there was no land on earth. Accordingly, Osanobua requested three ...

. According to Ife and early Benin tradition, he was one of the sons of

Oduduwa Odùduwà (Ooduwa, Odudua or Oòdua) was a Yoruba divine king, a creator deity (orisha) in the Yoruba religion, and the legendary figure who ushered in the classical period that later led to the foundation of the Ife Empire. His earthly orig ...

who dispersed from Ife to found various kingdoms. Some

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

traditions say Igodo descended from heaven, others claim he came from the sky due to his great wisdom, hence his title

Ogiso The were the earliest known ruling monarchy of the Edo kingdom of Igodomigodo, founded by Igodo, the first Ogiso. The monarchy began around 900 AD and lasted until the early 12th century when it was succeeded by the Oba monarchy. The Ogiso m ...

, meaning "King from the sky". During his reign, he organized the kingdom’s administration, introduced new political structures, and reinforced the connection between Igodomigodo and the broader Yoruba civilization. There are also stories that describe the Ogiso traveling to Ife for festivals, further strengthening the ties between the two regions. His leadership laid the foundation for the later transformation of Igodomigodo into the

Benin Kingdom The Kingdom of Benin, also known as Great Benin, is a traditional kingdom in southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's c ...

, which grew into one of the most powerful kingdoms in West Africa. Igodo’s legacy is preserved in the historical narratives of both the Edo and Yoruba people. His rule signified the early formation of the Benin monarchy, which would later be formally restructured under

Eweka I Eweka I (reigned 1200 AD – 1235 AD) was the first Oba of Benin and presided over the kingdom's shift from the Ogiso monarchy to the establishment of the Obaship. His 35-year reign had a notable impact on the political, cultural, and traditio ...

, a direct descendant of Oduduwa, who officially established the Oba of Benin dynasty after Oranmiyan's campaign.{{Cite book , last=Talbot , first=Amaury .P , title=The Peoples of Southern Nigeria , publisher=Humphrey Milford , year=1926 , publication-date=1926 , pages=153 The Benin royal family, which traces its lineage to Oduduwa through Oranmiyan, continues to be a major institution in Nigeria today.

References

Ogisos of Igodomigodo